


Little sister

by DreamsofRomance



Category: Harry Potter RPF
Genre: Awkwardness, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feltson - Freeform, Fluff, Friendship, Gossip, Heartache, Insecurity, Mild Sexual Content, Misunderstandings, Nostalgia, Romance, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-25 03:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9801167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamsofRomance/pseuds/DreamsofRomance
Summary: Cursed Child gets made into a movie. Emma and Tom meet again on set. Will things finally happen between them?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please be aware I don't know any of these people in real life.  
> This story is just meant for fun and _purely fictional_.  
>  I hope you enjoy!

She checked herself in the mirror. Maybe a little more mascara. Her eyes were her strong point. She needed to play them out. 

Quickly, she added some. Her hand was trembling. With a frustated frown, she opened and closed her fist. Why was she so nervous? 

_Oh, only because for the first time in years I’m meeting the man I’ve had a crush on since childhood._

She shook her head. She couldn’t give in to those kind of thoughts. This was a new start. A new chance to make a first impression. She wasn’t that little girl sitting next to him, waiting to go in for her audition, anymore. She needed to be calm, collected, a _woman_. After all, that was what she was now. An adult. Celebrated and renowned as an actress. A spokesperson for women’s rights. Someone with experience, with a number of grown-up relationships under her belt. 

_A number of_ failed _grown-up relationships…_

‘That doesn’t matter,’ she spoke courage into her reflection. Her heart hadn’t been in them anyway. It was harsh, but those men had been nothing but poor substitutes for what she really wanted. What she _needed_.

_And after all,_ his _relationship has failed too._

Her heart jolted. Who would’ve thought Jade and him wouldn’t last? In a way, she felt sorry for him. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t know what had gone wrong between them, but breaking up after such a long time must have hurt like crazy.

_Not to worry. I’ll help him get over his grief. He’ll soon forget all about her…_

She smiled, a little ashamed about her wicked thoughts. She wasn’t usually like this. But it seemed like she had been waiting forever. She had never wanted to come between him and Jade. She had always kept her distance, silently resigning in the fact those two would probably end up getting married. But now, things were different. The situation lay wide open again.

_I just have to make him see me in a different light._

She had one shot. One chance to wow him from the get go. She felt her heart pound frantically in her chest as she sat in front of the mirror. She had debated with herself for ages on what to wear, but finally chosen a dark suit with a bit of cleavage. A fine silk shawl around her neck and stiletto heels finished the look. It was classy, sexy, and very very mature. No washed out jeans, saggy, comfortable sweaters or oversized knitted scarves for her anymore. Even if this was just a reading. 

She jumped up when the phone rang.

‘Miss Watson, your taxi is here.’

Emma took a deep breath, brushed the creases from her pants, and left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Tom smiled. It was cool to see all of his old friends again. It seemed like absolutely _everyone_ had a cameo in this film, even the characters that hadn’t been in the script for the play. This movie was going to be a treat for the fans, and the writers had done their best to include as much of the original characters as possible. Tom was happy with the story. Draco Malfoy played a big part in it, with a whole other side of his character being highlighted and developed. He was really looking froward to sinking his teeth into the role. Plus the fact the number of scenes with Dan, Tom and Emma were more than he’d ever had in the original movies. It’d be fun to work alongside them, as an ally, for once.

‘All right there, Tom?’ Dan opened the emergency door outside the studio. 

Tom took a drag on his cigarette and nodded. ‘Yeah,’ he answered, squinting against the sun. ‘Just a bit awed by all the memories in there. Got me on a _major_ nostalgia trip.’

Dan came and stood beside him. ‘Me too,’ he laughed. ‘It’s incredible. Like nothing has changed at all.’

‘Only us,’ said Rupert. He let the heavy door fall back into its frame, and stepped into the sunlight. He pulled a face, like only he could. ‘Do you realise we’re playing the old geezers now? The _parents_?’

‘Ssyeah,’ grinned Tom, burning the cigarette to its filter as he inhaled again. 

‘Those things will kill you, you know,’ Dan mentioned, in that soft, unconfrontational voice of his.

Tom smiled. That was Dan to a tee. Always looking out for everybody. ‘I know.’ He shrugged apologetically. ‘I just can’t seem to kick the habit.’ 

_Especially nowadays._

A bit of the darkness he had come to know so well over the last couple of months, crept into the sunny courtyard. Being back in the studio, without her, was hard. He sighed inwardly, and took a decision. No. Not here. Not now. He was with his friends. People he had shared the bulk of his childhood with and that he hadn’t seen for ages. He was not gonna let this moment be ruined by all the personal shit he’d had to deal with lately. He threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with his heel. Then he put one arm around Dan’s shoulder, and the other around Rupert’s, and said: ‘Let’s face it lads, we’re playing the adults, because we _are_ adults now.’

‘Nooo!’ cried out Rupert, with that whimpering voice he did so well. ‘I’m not ready!’

‘Nobody ever is, I think,’ Dan said.

Tom grinned. ‘I’ll be a kid forever. But don’t tell the producers that. They might hire someone else for the part!’

‘Forget it! There’s only one Draco Malfoy, and that’s Tom Felton’s Draco Malfoy.’

‘Thanks, guys.’

Tom was amazed. They hadn’t seen or spoken with eachother for ages, but after a few minutes, it was like old times again. He was a happy-go-lucky person and he got along with almost everyone, but Rupert and Dan were special. He supposed it was only natural, seeing they were the few people who knew what it was like to have had a childhood like he’d had. It created a bond that could never be broken. 

‘Come,’ said Dan. ‘Let’s go back inside. I think they’re waiting for us.’


	3. Chapter 3

But it turned out they were waiting for someone else.

Tom wondered where Emma was. It wasn’t like her to be late. But when he wanted to ask, the words died on his lips. 

No, _he_ couldn’t ask. For if he did, people would read something into it and in no time the press would be printing stories about how “Tom Felton worries about Emma Watson.”

Luckily, Matthew Lewis was always there when you needed him. 

‘What’s taking Emma?’ he asked the director. 

‘My assistant has just informed me her taxi is pulling into the driveway as we speak,’ David answered. 

Tom’s stomach jolted. He was surprised at how nervous he felt. He hadn’t spoken to Emma in such a long time. Sure, he hadn’t heard from Dan and Rupert for a while too, and he was just as much to blame for that as they were. Everyone had their own life, projects, _relationships_ …

But with Emma, it was different, somehow. He felt like she had deliberately not called. _He_ had deliberately not called, for sure. Although some nights had been so hard. 

It was a shame, really. They had always gotten along really well. He used to love to hang out with her. She had been like a baby sister to him. He looked out for her, felt protective of her. The fact she’d had a little crush on him as a child only enhanced that feeling. But as they got older, and especially towards the last movies, things had changed. People saw their friendship as something more. They _wanted_ it to be more. In the beginning, he and Emma had laughed about it. But after a while, it had all gotten a bit awkward. She had said stuff in interviews that had made him feel… well, uncomfortable. They had certainly made _Jade_ feel uncomfortable! The rows he’d had with her on the subject had been monumental…

_This is stupid! She’s a good friend, and that’s it._

His nervousness spiked. He was going crazy sitting here, waiting for her. So he got up and walked over to the coffee stand in the far corner of the space, more to keep busy than anything else. 

Two girls from the staff were gossiping by the machine. They had their back to the room, so they didn’t notice him approaching. They probably weren’t expecting him either, since the actors didn’t usually get their own drinks.

‘…almost an hour late,’ he heard the petite blond scoff to her friend. ‘I suppose she’s too good to be on time, now she’s such a big star and all.’

‘Yeah,’ the other girl replied. ‘Can you say stuck up much?’

‘Exactly. Everyone else is here. Everyone else is professional.’

‘She probably wants to make a grand entrance, diva style. All eyes on her, you know.’

‘I hope she’s bleached her moustache then.’

‘What?’

‘I read in a magazine Little Miss Perfect’s had to do that since she was nine years old.’

‘Oh my God!’

They giggled.

It took Tom a couple of seconds to realise they were talking about Emma. No wonder, their description couldn’t be farther from what she was like in real life. To his surprise he didn’t even feel angry at their vicious comments, they were just too ridiculous.

But just as he wanted to speak to them about it, he heard the studio door open. He turned around, and there she was.

For a moment, he thought he had made a mistake. That it was someone else coming in. But no, it was really her. She looked stunning. Like she was going to a premiere. Her make-up was immaculate, but very heavy for the daytime. She was wearing a sexy designer suit, a shawl in some expensive fabric or other, and heels that made you wonder how she could stand without toppling over. 

Immediately, Tom was very aware of his own appearance. He felt grossly underdressed. He had just thrown something together this morning. He was wearing his glasses, a knitted scarf, a sloppy hat. This was just a reading, after all. They were among friends. Weren’t they?

‘What did I tell you,’ he heard the girl by the coffee machine whisper to her friend. ‘ _Stuck. Up._ ’


	4. Chapter 4

Emma looked around the room. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Her heart was racing in her chest. Everyone was staring at her. She felt herself shrink. She hated being in the center of attention! 

_Oh no…_ she cringed. _They’re all wearing casual clothes._

She wished she had Hermione’s talents for magic now. Then she could’ve disapparated. Or sunk into the floor. Or done _anything_ that would get her out of here.

‘Sorry I’m so late,’ she stuttered. ‘There was an accident on the road.’

No one answered. Emma bit her lip. She felt so overdressed she could cry. What had she been thinking wearing this! It was like she was going to a premiere or something. People would start thinking she had developed a diva-attitude.

But just as she had convinced herself the whole world disapproved of her - and probably some people on Mars too - Dan walked up to her.

‘Hey, Emma,’ he said softly. ‘How lovely to see you again.’

He gave her a hug, and instantly, her anxiety melted away. 

‘Hi, Daniel,’ she smiled. ‘It’s so nice to be back.’ And she really meant it too. She finally felt like she could breathe again.

The others seemed to pick up on it. As Emma’s own awkwardness disappeared, the uneasy silence in the room lifted like magic. People started talking amongst each other again. Everyone came and said hi to her.

‘Hey, Em!’ Rupert grinned. ‘Ready to be my wife?’

She grinned too and rolled her eyes at him. ‘I can hardly wait.’

‘Gotta warn ya, I’m a handful!’

‘Nothing I can’t handle,’ she shrugged. ‘With a little help from my friends.’ She winked at Dan and Bonnie.

‘Welcome, Emma,’ David said, shaking her hand. ‘Looking forward to work with you again.’

‘Me too,’ she nodded, feeling really professional.

She greeted and talked to a bunch of other people, and then, just as she was starting to relax and had almost forgotten all about it, there he was.

A dash of the initial nervousness rushed to her throat again. He was holding his hat in one hand and was brushing through his hair with the other. He looked good, albeit a little pale. God, his eyes… She had fantasised about those eyes so many times, but nothing had prepared her for the emotion of looking into them again. She had instant butterflies, like some love-sick teenager. 

‘Hi,’ he said.

‘Hi,’ she answered. She had wanted to sound a little sultry, but her voice broke mid-way and she was forced to clear her throat. ‘Hi,’ she repeated, coughing.

‘Woops, not coming down with something I hope?’ he inquired sweetly.

‘Oh no, just a little itch.’ She felt herself blush violently. Jesus! How old was she?

 _Ninety_ , she answered cynically to herself, when he stepped forward to give her a hug but she instinctively held her hand out to shake his. She had _no idea_ why she had done that. She had hugged Dan and Rupert, and Matt and all the girls. Why _on earth_ would she try to keep a distance between herself and Tom, the one person she actually craved having close???

Quickly, she dropped her hand and tried to hug him anyway, but he had already taken in her body language and broken off his forward movement. The result was an awkward toing and froing that ended in an uneasy hug at almost and arm’s length away.

When they broke their embrace, he was blushing a little too. 

God, what must he think of her!!!

For a moment they stood opposite one another in silence. 

‘Congrats with your new movie,’ he finally said, seemingly relieved to have found a topic. ‘The Beauty and the Beast. Wow. What a classic. I hear it’s going to be great.’

‘Yeah,’ she nodded, sending him a pained smile. ‘You too, with your… erm… your TV-show.’ Oh no! That had sounded really arrogant. Why could she not remember the name of the show? She watched it religiously. She loved him in that role!

‘Thanks,’ he said, but he cast his eyes down. Suddenly she noticed how tired he looked.

‘You should totally come,’ she blurted out.

‘What?’

‘To the premiere. Of Beauty and the Beast. It’s in a couple of weeks, here in London. I’m inviting everyone,’ she added quickly.

‘Oh. Yeah, sure. I’d love that.’

‘Great!’

She swallowed, and then David Yates saved her from this train wreck that had been her first conversation with Tom. ‘Five minutes, guys,’ he clapped his hands. ‘We’re gonna get started.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Tom actually went to the US premiere of BATB (yay, so cool he was there!) but I've changed that to the London one here to make it better fit my story.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma felt relieved she could buckle down and focus on her work. It was something she knew she was good at, something that always gave her confidence. The reading went great, and over the next couple of days, she slowly started to feel at ease in the studio again. The interaction with the kids that had been cast in the main roles was going well and even her lines with Tom went smoothly. Actually, they were all making so much progress on the script, David hoped they could start shooting by the end of the week.

But out of the professional context, it was a different matter entirely. She and Tom hardly said two words to one another. It was her fault. She avoided him as much as she could, and in the sparse moments they were together, she made sure there were always a bunch of other people there too.

She didn’t know why she was behaving this way. Maybe because their first meeting had been so disastrous? Or maybe it was just because she was so deeply in love… Being around him again had only intensified her feelings. She couldn’t get enough of his smile, those weird clothes he always wore, the way he moved his hands when he talked. And his eyes, of course. Always his eyes…

When she stepped on set that Friday, she was determined not to let it affect her, though. True, she had cringed a little when she saw her very first scene included Tom. It wouldn’t be like the reading, where she had a script to bury her nose in if she suddenly felt uncomfortable. But she had prepared even more thoroughly than usual, even mentally running over the lines again during hair and make-up, and Dan and Rupert were in the scene too, so she should be fine.

She straightened her shoulders, and looked Tom square in the eye. She even found the courage to say something to him. ‘Back in your black suit?’

He smiled, a little surprised. No wonder. It was probably the first time she had spoken to him out of her own accord since Monday. ‘Yeah,’ he grinned. ‘Got the peroxide treatment again, too.’

‘Poor Tom,’ she smiled, knowing how much he disliked having his hair dyed.

‘Don’t feel sorry for _him_ ,’ Rupert interjected. ‘The girls love evil Malfoy’s blond locks. You try being ginger for a change!’

Emma rolled her eyes. ‘Awww,’ she said, in an over-the-top sad voice. ‘Poor Rupert.’

He nodded. ‘That’s better.’

They laughed, and Emma's gaze crossed Tom’s again. He was smiling too. Something passed between them. Emma felt her stomach leap.

‘Positions, everyone!’ David called out.

Quickly, Emma took a last sip from her latte, and handed it to her assistant. Then she breathed in deeply, closed her eyes, and slipped into Hermione Granger’s skin.

‘Wait, you have a little…’ 

She looked up and saw Tom lean in. She froze, as he gently lifted her chin and removed a bit of milk foam from her upper lip.

‘Action!’ someone yelled.

The board clapped, and just like that, all her lines were gone. Zip. Her mind went completely blank.

The others started the scene. Ron and Harry discussed the plan, with Draco standing aside, looking skeptical. Then they all turned and looked at her. 

‘Well,’ said Draco. ‘What do you think, Granger?’

Emma felt a cold, wet feeling in the pit of her stomach. Frantically, she tried to remember what she was supposed to say. Draco’s eyes lingered on her. They were Draco’s eyes now, not Tom’s. The expression in them made the colour seem more grey than blue, something that was intensified by that platinum hair and somber clothing. It always amazed her how different Tom looked when he was in character. Almost unrecognisable.

‘Uhm…’ she stammered.

‘Cut!’

Emma felt herself blush violently. 

‘You have to reply more quickly, Emma,’ David remarked. ‘Not such a long pause, okay? And, again!’

But Emma was completely thrown off balance. She ruined two more takes before David finally realised she had forgotten her lines. With a head like a red traffic light she took the script from him and flipped to the right page, while everyone waited. Luckily, the first sentence was all she needed to be able to remember the whole thing.

It didn’t help much, though. The next couple of takes were almost just as bad. She knew the words now, but it was like their meaning didn’t sink in. She couldn’t _feel_ them, somehow. They sounded hollow. _She_ sounded hollow.

‘More pep, Emma. Not so hesitant. Come on now!’

They did it again. 

And again.

 _And_ again.

As the day progressed, Emma somehow managed to struggle through the parts with Dan and Rupert. But the moment she needed to interact with Tom, she choked. It was unprofessional, it was embarrassing, and worst of all, people were starting to notice it.

‘Are you all right?’ Tom frowned, in between takes.

She snorted, shrugging as casually as she could. ‘Of course, why wouldn’t I be?’

He blinked. ‘Oh. Okay then. Sorry.’

She hadn’t meant to sound so defensive. But she was getting more and more frustrated with herself, and it resonated in her voice. 

At five o’ clock, without even one half-decent take, David decided to call it a day. ‘No worries, people,’ he said to the cast and crew in general, but Emma knew he really meant her. ‘First day is always shitty. Take the weekend to let off some steam. We’ll make a fresh start on Monday.’

They all clapped, but it sounded a bit depressed. Everyone was exhausted.

‘God, I’m so sorry,’ Emma said, as she walked into the lounge room. She dropped into one of the plushy, red couches. ‘I don’t know what was with me, today.’

‘Don’t worry about it, Em,’ Bonnie comforted her. ‘We’ve all messed up takes before.’

‘Yeah,’ said Rupert. ‘I sure have.’

‘And me,’ Evanna nodded.

‘Me too,’ said Dan.

‘Yes, but _I_ haven’t,’ she stressed. ‘I _never_ mess up.’

Her eyes grew big as she saw the whole group grin and raise their eyebrows at her.

‘Oh my God! I’m actually turning into Hermione, aren’t I?’ she laughed, embarrassed.

‘A little bit, yeah,’ Rupert nodded. ‘Can you say: Wingardium Levi-O-sa?’

She gave him a nudge. ‘Oh, stop it.’

‘Why don’t we all go out for drinks?’ Bonnie suggested. ‘To celebrate our first week back on HP. Like David suggested: blow off some steam and then we’ll be right as rain on Monday.’

‘Sounds great,’ Emma said, with a longing sigh. 

But just at that moment, Tom came walking in. And she realised she couldn’t handle being around him. Not after today. ‘But actually, uhm, I’m feeling really tired,’ she continued quickly. ‘I think I’m gonna make it an early night.’

She ignored her friends’ disappointed protests, excused herself to them once again, and then fled the room, leaving Tom standing in the doorway, flabbergasted.

 

*

 

Tom was completely at a loss. What had just happened?! He had heard Emma tell Bonnie she was coming out for a drink, but then as soon as she saw him, she had blurted out some excuse and left. Had he done something wrong? Was she cross with him?

_Maybe she blames me for today. For the ruined takes._

Actually, she had been kind of aloof all week. Like she didn’t want to be around him, or something. And suddenly, a much more frightening thought struck him.

 _Maybe she doesn’t enjoy working with me anymore._

After all, she was a big movie star now, and he… Well, he was doing all right, but nothing like her. The words of the two gossip girls echoed through his mind. _...Stuck up..._ He scoffed. No, that was impossible. Emma wasn’t like that.

Although… They hadn’t seen each other in such a long time. People changed. Hadn’t he detected a slight hint of derision when she complimented him on The Flash? And that invite to the premiere of Beauty and the Beast… It had seemed a little forced. Like she couldn’t leave him out, since she had already invited everyone else. Come to think of it, she hadn’t even wanted to give him a hug!

Tom’s stomach cringed. He felt gutted, like someone had reached in his chest and ripped his heart out.

‘Well,’ Dan asked. ‘Are you coming for a drink with us then?’

He shook his head. ‘No… I’m quite tired too.’

Dan frowned. ‘What’s the matter?’

Tom hesitated. As the others started gathering their things, he took Dan aside and asked: ‘I don’t know, but… does Emma seem odd to you?’

‘Odd?’

‘Yeah, acting strangely, I mean. Has she… said anything?’

Dan raised his eyebrows.

‘About me,’ Tom specified, and he felt his stomach cringe again. He cleared his throat, shrugging uncomfortably. ‘I feel like she doesn’t want to be around me or something.

A little smile appeared on Dan’s lips. ‘You don’t know why she’s behaving funny?’

Tom shook his head.

Dan took Harry’s spectacles off and offered them to Tom. ‘Do you need to borrow these?’

Tom blinked. ‘Huh?’

Dan moved closer, his smile getting wider. ‘I mean: are you blind?’ He grinned. ‘Emma is in love with you.’

‘What?!’

‘Oh yeah,’ said Rupert, who had casually wandered up to them. He put a handful of M&M’s in his mouth and scrunched: ‘She’s totally into you, mate!’


	6. Chapter 6

Emma sighed with relief as she let her body sink into the fragrant water. This was just what she needed. A long, hot bath to wash the day away. She had chosen the lavender bath foam: the perfect aroma to counter stress. She could feel her muscles relax already. As she watched the steam slowly curl to the ceiling, she wondered where the others were. If they had gone out, and if Tom was with them. 

Tom…

Cringing, Emma made the balance of the past week. Apart from the reading, it had been a disaster. She had made a complete fool of herself. To her friends, to her professional contacts, to _him._

There wasn’t much left of her plan to make him see her in a different light. Actually, it had been a pretty stupid idea to begin with. She wasn’t a seductress or whatever you called it. She had never been the one to take the first step when starting a relationship. It was simply not in her character. The whole thing had been doomed from the beginning. She had stumbled at the first attempt, and retreated like some spooked animal, licking her wounds. 

_It’ll be like before,_ she realised. _I’ll wait too long and then someone else, someone with more nerve than me, will steal him away._

The thought caused a dull, throbbing pain in her stomach. It was strange, but the feeling was almost exactly the same as when she had been a little girl. Like she couldn’t breathe, it hurt so much.

But honestly, what could she do more? 

She looked at her body underneath the surface of the water and considered herself for a moment. Was she pretty? The internet and magazines were full of pictures of her, saying she had grown up into such a beautiful woman. But it was still hard thinking about herself that way. Magazines were photoshopped, and there were stylists to dress her and do her make-up when she went to events. When she looked at herself in the mirror in the morning, fresh out of bed, or now, in bath, naked, she still felt insecure. She supposed it was the same for every girl. Being famous didn’t change the fact you were still a human being. In some ways it made it even harder, feeling that constant pressure of having to be perfect all the time.

Tom didn’t seem bothered by all that, though. He always looked so casual. So relaxed. Even at official events.

_I wonder if he thinks I’m beautiful..._

She pictured his hands on her body. The painful feeling in her stomach turned into an intense warmth.

‘Oh, God,’ she sighed.

She closed her eyes and ducked her head under water. 

She held her breath and counted the beats of her heart. Slowly but surely, she felt herself calm down. She had to get a grip. This whole thing had completely spiralled out of control.

_This needs to stop. I’m only making myself unhappy. If it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be…_

When Emma surfaced again, it was with the solemn promise to herself that she would behave like a grown-up from now on. No more awkwardness. No more erratic behaviour.

On Monday, she would be purely professional again.

 

*

 

Tom leant his hands against the wall of the shower and let the warm water stream down his back and neck. The whole gang had gone to a pub together, but he hadn’t stayed long. His mind had been too preoccupied with what Dan and Rupert had told him. According to them, Emma was smitten with him. A fact he himself had been totally unaware of. As usual. He wasn’t good in these kinds of things. He remembered what it had been like with Jade in the beginning. It had taken him a good couple of weeks before he had realised she was interested in him.

Still, it was strange to think Emma might really harbour feelings towards him. There had been a tension between them, that was true. Actually, there had been for many years now. Could she really have been in love all that while?

It would certainly explain why she had been behaving so strangely lately. But then again, Dan and Rupert could just as well be mistaken. After all, they weren’t exactly experts when it came to relationships either. What man could say he truly understood what went on in the head of a woman?

Tom sighed, feeling more confused than ever. And nervous. Inexplicably nervous.

He bent his head and let the water run from his neck towards his face. Suddenly, he imagined Emma’s hands on his body. Around his waist, hugging him from behind. His stomach leapt. Jesus, this was so weird!

He turned the water off and got out of the shower. He dried himself off, wrapped the towel around his waist and walked into the bedroom. His cell phone was lying on the bed. He grabbed it and sat down. He scrolled to her name in the contact list. The nervousness got so bad it made his stomach cringe.

_Honestly, this is silly. We’re both adults. I’m going to call her and ask her what’s what. Clear this whole thing right up._

Then they could finally act normal around each other again. That would be such a relief. He nodded, strengthened in his resolve.

_But what if she says yes?_

The thought hit him like a lightning bolt. What if she was really in love with him? What would he say then? How would he feel about that?

His hands got a little clammy, holding the phone. But he couldn’t deny a part of him was excited at the prospect. He bit his lip.

_Fuck it. I’m just gonna do it._

But just as he went to touch the screen, the phone bleeped.

“ANNIVERSARY NEXT FRIDAY. ONE WEEK TO BUY PRESENT. KNOW THYSELF: DO IT NOW!”

A gaping black hole opened underneath his feet.

Next Friday: his and Jade’s anniversary.

He cursed himself for not having deleted the date from his calendar. Reading the reminder he had put in his phone ages ago was like the equivalent of someone sticking a knife in his heart. 

And still he chose to twist the blade.

Tom’s fingers seemed to swipe to the pictures all by themselves. Him and Jade in bed, at a concert, on the beach. Pictures with Timber. Pictures of moments when they had been happy.

By the time he had finally managed to tear himself away from his self-inflicted torture, calling Emma didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore.

 _I’ll wait until Monday_ , he thought. _See how she behaves and make my mind up then. After all, it would be so embarrassing for both of us if this all turned out to be a giant misunderstanding._

Somehow, that idea depressed him even more. He threw the phone aside and grabbed his smokes.


	7. Chapter 7

Emma was proud of herself. The new week had started and she was behaving very professionally indeed. She knew all her lines, was able to put the required emotions in them, and as a result everything was running like clockwork. David looked pleased as punch.

But what was even more important: she had finally found a way to interact with Tom in a normal fashion. Well, almost normal, anyway. She forced herself to look at him like he was just another co-worker. With her experience as an actress, it was actually surprisingly easy to do. She managed to keep a level-head when she talked to him now. No more blushing, no more stuttering. Just casual and friendly. And she didn’t try to avoid him anymore, either. The distance she maintained to him was purely on a mental level now. It was harsh, of course, to let go of her hopes and dreams like that. Some days she felt like she was dying a little inside. But she needed to be tough with herself. She had no other choice. It was the only way she stood a chance at surviving the shooting of this damn movie without going insane.

_Think of it as overcoming an addiction,_ she imprinted herself. _Detox yourself from the desire for his eyes, his mouth, his hands…_

It was working.

At least until Thursday, that was.

Then Matt Lewis brought a cake on set, and everything went to hell.

 

*

 

Tom was so glad he hadn’t phoned her. He didn’t know what Dan and Rupert had been talking about, but it was clear as day that Emma harboured absolutely no romantic feelings towards him. Actually, it looked like she didn’t harbour _any_ sort of feelings towards him, period. Their takes together this week had gone perfectly so far. Not a bleep on the radar. She even talked to him a bit more off set, too. But Tom couldn’t help noticing a strange sort of… _distance_ between them. A chill, almost, in Emma’s voice and demeanor. It was very subtle, but it was definitely there. Like he just didn’t matter to her anymore. Their friendship, once so strong, now seemed to be dead in the water.

It caused an emotional turmoil inside of him that he couldn’t really name. He felt lost, unwanted. And alone. Completely and utterly alone. 

_Something I’m starting to grow accustomed to_ , Tom thought sadly. For instead of healing over time, the void Jade had left in his life seemed to be getting bigger by the day. An image of that last, reluctant kiss goodbye flashed in front of his eyes. They had been together for such a long time. He had sincerely thought it was going to be forever. That he would spend the rest of his life with her. But now she had a new boyfriend, and Tom cringed whenever he came across pictures of them online. It seemed like only yesterday when he and Jade had been planning their future together, and now it looked like she had forgotten all about him…

Well, at least his troubles were helping him with the part. He guessed that was something. The role of Draco Malfoy grieving over his lost wife seemed to come naturally to him lately. He hardly had to put any work into putting Draco’s emotions across. David Yates was pleased as punch. 

‘Cut!’ he yelled, that Thursday afternoon. ‘That’s all for today, people.’ He got up from the director’s chair and slapped Tom on the back. ‘Perfect, Tom. One of your best scenes yet.’

‘Thanks,’ Tom smiled, feeling almost tolerable for the first time in a whole week.

And then Matt stuttered: ‘Can- Can I have everyone’s attention, please?’ and the crew pushed in a trolley with a ginormous rectangular cake on it, and then everything really went to hell.

 

*

 

Everyone gathered around the monstrous piece of pastry. It was a cherry-chocolate sponge, and it read: _Congratulations!_ in the most generic of ways. People were mumbling excitedly, wondering what the occasion was.

But Emma knew right away. As soon as she saw Matt put an arm around his girlfriend Angela. They hadn’t been together that long, but they were absolutely smitten with each other. It was wonderful to see how Matt had opened up since he had met her. How happy he was. Angela came to the set almost every day, to watch him work. They couldn’t stand being apart. So no one had thought twice about the fact she was here today. But it turned out that this time, there was a special reason.

‘What’s this all about then?’ Rupert voiced everyone’s curiosity. The question was for Matt, of course, but it seemed to be directed at the cake, as he couldn’t keep his eyes off it.

Matt and Angela looked at each other. She, dreamily, as if on a pink cloud, from underneath half-closed eyelids. He, beaming, a little insecure and extremely proud at the same time.

_Oh my God!!!_ Emma thought, thrilled.

Matt took a deep breath, and said: ‘Angela and I have something to announce. Last night, I asked her if she wants to be my wife. And what d’ ya know, she said yes! We’re getting married!’

There was a fraction of second where everyone gawked, and then the whole set erupted in cheers and applause. People ran up to Matt and Angela to congratulate them. Emma gave them both a hug and three kisses each. ‘Oh you guys, this is wonderful…’ she sighed.

They were showered with hugs, handshakes, and all the best wishes, which they accepted with burning cheeks and gleaming eyes. David called for champagne. Glasses were got, paper plates were distributed, and a few minutes later everyone was standing around the happy couple, cake in one hand and champagne in the other, grilling them for the details.

‘Have you picked a date, yet?’ Bonnie asked.

‘We’re not entirely sure,’ said Angela. ‘But we hope to make it a May wedding. I’d love for it to be on the beach.’

Matt nodded enthusiastically. It was clear he would’ve just as easily agreed to a wedding on the North Pole in December if it would have made his fiancée happy.

_That’s what love is all about_ , Emma thought. _Caring more about the other person than yourself._ And suddenly she felt a little melancholic. She clenched her teeth. _No, don’t do it. Don’t look at him. Not now. You’re doing so well. Do you want to start everything up again?_ It cost her an unbelievable amount of will-power, but she managed not to glance over at Tom.

‘You won’t forget to invite all of us, I hope?’ Dan smiled at Matt.

‘I couldn’t possibly,’ Matt grinned.

‘How did he propose?’ Evanna asked Angela.

Angela laughed. ‘Well, it was actually a bit haphazardly. I’ll certainly never forget it. ’ She squeezed Matt’s hand. ‘You tell it, baby.’

Matt sighed. ‘Well,’ he confessed. ‘Angela actually ran in on me when I was making reservations for what was supposed to be a surprise trip to Paris. We’re going there this weekend, and I was planning to ask her there. But she caught me in the act.’

‘And off course I saw by the look on his face that there was something else going on than just the surprise holiday,’ Angela cut in. ‘Matt’s such a bad liar.’

‘I knew she’d get it out of me,’ Matt continued. ‘So I just decided to do it then and there. I cracked open the safe and got out the ring, and proposed to her in our apartment. Not as exotic as Paris…’

‘…but perfectly fitting for us, actually.’ Angela finished his sentence.

They smiled at each other, so obviously and openly in love, that Emma felt herself melt. In a flash, the image of her and Tom making an announcement like that to their friends passed through her head. Quickly, desperately, she suppressed it.

‘Show us the ring!’ she urged Angela on.

Angela stuck out her hand, producing a rock the size of Gibraltar. The women all bent over it, oohing and aahing, as the men stood by looking pleghmatic and vaguely worried.

‘Damn, Matt!’ Rupert whistled between his teeth. ‘You’re sure setting a dangerous precedent here.’

Matt shrugged, again looking so proud it was just to die for.

‘I applaud you,’ Rupert continued, grinning. ‘Marriage… I didn’t know people were still doing that, nowadays. Well, if anything, you’re definitely brave!’

Bonnie and Evanna sighed and rolled their eyes, making disapproving sounds at Rupert.

But Matt couldn’t care less about Rupert’s teasing remarks. He just looked at Angela, and said, dead serious: ‘There’s nothing brave about it. I knew from day one this was the girl I was going to marry. Angela Jones is the love of my life.’

Everyone fell silent for a minute.

This time, Emma couldn’t hold back anymore. As Matt and Angela kissed, and the oohing and aahing started up again, she turned her head and looked at Tom.

She started when she saw his face. He was pale as a sheet, like he had just seen a ghost. Ashen, almost. He was smiling as he watched Matt and Angela, but his eyes were a sad, cloudy grey.

Quickly, before he would notice she was looking, Emma averted her gaze. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Tom was hurting. He tried to hide it, but it couldn’t have been more clear. Her stomach clenched. The dull feeling was back, and this time it was like she could feel his grief throbbing through her own body. Had he congratulated Matt and Angela? Yes. She had heard him wish them all the best. She had tried not to take notice, still staunchly trying to ignore him, but now she though back at it, she realised his voice had sounded really soft. And he hadn’t said a word since, not a single word. That wasn’t like him at all!

Emma stood there, frozen, as the others chatted away excitedly. Her entire being, her thoughts, were focused on Tom. It was like all the energy she had been suppressing towards him this last few days, now surfaced at once. It overwhelmed her, made her feel dizzy. He was her friend, and he was in pain. How could she stand by and do nothing?

An indefinable amount of time passed. 

Emma looked around again.

But Tom was gone. His glass of champagne left empty on the side of one of the equipment boxes. The plate with the piece of cake untouched.

 

*

 

Tom closed the door of his trailer behind him. He felt guilty about having left the impromptu party so soon, but it was just too painful. He had stayed the minimum amount of time he could without being considered impolite, before quietly slipping away.

He was happy for Matt and Angela, of course. But seeing them together, how much in love they were, how totally as one… 

“Angela Jones is the love of my life,” he heard Matt say again.

There had been a time when he had thought Jade Gordon was his.

Tom walked over to the sink and splashed his face with water. When he looked up into the mirror, he started at the sight of his own face. The role required them to be a little older than they actually were. They were all adults now, but still not old enough to have kids of the age the storyline required. So the make-up artists did their work every morning, to make them look the part. Tom saw himself as he would look ten years from now. He saw someone he hardly recognised. 

_In September, I’ll be thirty years old,_ he realised. _I have no wife, no kids, not even a dog anymore… What the hell am I doing with my life?_

He ducked back down, scooping up more water, and rubbed the make-up from his face. Suddenly, he felt a dire need for a shower. Like he could somehow wash his emotions away. 

He jumped in the cubicle and rinsed himself off, turning the water temperature to scorching. Then he dried himself off, put on a loose pair of pants and a T-shirt, and grabbed his guitar. He closed his eyes and let his fingers find their way across the strings. Two, three familiar chords. Their sound resonated deep inside of him. The shower hadn’t lifted the sadness, but maybe he could release it a little this way.

But just as he was really getting started, there was a timid knock at the door.

 

*

 

Emma wrung her hands nervously. She had debated with herself for a good half-hour, but had finally decided she couldn’t leave it this way. He had looked so upset…

And now it was too late. She had knocked, the music had stopped, and she could hear movements inside the trailer. 

‘Emma!’ Tom exclaimed in surprise, when he opened the door and saw her standing there. 

God, his hair was still wet...

‘Hi,’ she said. ‘Can I come in?’


	8. Chapter 8

He blinked, a bit thrown by her presence there, it seemed. ‘Yes, of course,’ he said, stepping aside to make room for her. ‘Please.’

A little hesitant, Emma crossed the threshold.

‘Sorry for the mess,’ he apologised, when he saw her taking in the trailer’s interior.

‘No, I like it,’ she assured him. ‘I can see a lot of your personality in here.’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Is that a good thing?’

She smiled. ‘Yes, of course.’

‘Thanks.’

There was a moment’s pause, in which neither of them spoke.

Tom cleared his throat. ‘Well, um, can I get you anything? A drink? Or something to eat? I think I’ve got crisps in here somewhere.’ He turned to the kitchenette and randomly started pulling open cabinet doors.

Emma knew that what he was really asking, though.

_What are you doing here?_

‘No, thanks, I’m all right.’ She shrugged apologetically. ‘I just had cake, remember?’

‘Right. Of course. _Cake._ ’ He stopped what he was doing and shut the cabinet doors, rather abruptly. The sound cut through the trailer. He forced a smile, but it couldn’t hide the sadness in his eyes, not for a minute. It still churned there, a turmoil beneath the grey.

Emma took a step towards him, her concern for him now pushing her awkwardness to the background. ‘Tom,’ she asked softly. ‘Are you all right?’

For a split second, a raw emotion flashed across his face. But before she could identify it, he had already pushed it away again. ‘Sure,’ he shrugged, still with that forced smile. ‘You know me. I always land on my feet.’

Emma tilted her head, her eyes searching his, pleading him to be honest with her. ‘You left the party so quickly…’

She saw him breathe in, his chest rising under the white T-shirt. He swallowed and looked away. The smile was gone now. ‘Yes, well…’

He stayed quiet for a long time. Emma felt torn. She could see he was struggling with his emotions. The desire to just go to him and put her arms around him, to pull him close and comfort him, was overwhelming. But that was not what he needed right now. He was hurting over Jade, over their lost relationship. She didn’t want to confuse him by selfishly putting her own feelings in the mix. All she wanted, was for him to feel better. And clearly, her presence wasn’t helping…

‘I’m sorry,’ she mumbled. ‘I shouldn’t have come here. You want to be alone.’

She nodded an awkward goodbye, then turned to leave.

Tom snapped out of it. ‘No, Emma, please, wait…’ He came up to her and held her by the arm. The touch was a shock, a warm current that rushed up her arm. He looked at her, his eyes so soft and _open_ now, like everything that lay beyond could be discovered by simply diving in. ‘Don’t go,’ he whispered, and she could feel his breath on her skin, so close was he. ‘I’m sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind lately. It’s… It’s difficult for me to talk about. But, please, won’t you stay?’

Emma shook her head. ‘I don’t know, I—‘

‘I’m glad you’re here. Truly, I am.’

But she still hesitated.

‘Hey, I tell you what,’ he tried. ‘Why don’t we get out of here, huh? Grab a bite to eat in the city? Just you and me.’ He raised his eyebrows encouragingly. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m simply dying for some fish and chips.’

Emma couldn’t hold back a smile. He was unbelievable. Even now, when he was feeling bad, he made an effort to put her at ease; he cared about the way _she_ felt.

_I love him,_ she thought.

‘I’d love that,’ she said.

 

*

 

They walked along the embankment. It was a chilly evening and it looked like rain, so there weren’t many people out, but they had put on their “incognito” clothes anyway. He was still wearing his sweatpants and T-shirt, with a grey hoodie on top, she in dark jeans and a hoodie also, its colour a faded red. No sunglasses, though. That would have been all too silly in this kind of weather.

‘This is a good spot,’ Emma pointed out.

They cleared some wet newspapers from the bench and sat down on its back, with their feet on the seating. From here they had a nice view over the river. The murky grey water mimicked the sky perfectly.

‘Christ, I’ve missed this,’ Tom sighed, as the opened the bag of food. It was so drenched in vinegar it leaked through the wrapping. He inhaled deeply, relishing the smell.

Emma pinched a chip between her thumb and index-finger. It was too hot, but she bit into it anyway. The taste was sharp and greasy and very very comforting. Yeah, she’d missed it too.

‘You’re lucky, you know, being able to eat this whenever you want,’ Tom continued, chewing. ‘You can’t find fries like this in the States.’

Emma shrugged, picking another chip from the packet. ‘Maybe, but I rarely do. Healthy eating and all that. I have to keep in shape. And yes,’ she sighed, rolling her eyes, ‘that sounds just as boring as it is.’

He grinned. ‘You splurge sometimes, don’t you? Come on, you must.’

‘What do you think I’m doing right now?’ she laughed. She raised her eyebrows suggestively. ‘It isn’t usually fish and chips, though.’ 

‘Tell me,’ he said, as he opened a can of lager and handed it to her. ‘What’s your poison?’

She took a sip from the beer, squinting at its bitter taste, then admitted: ‘Unoriginally: chocolate.’

‘Oh yeah, I remember you always getting that for your birthday from everyone.’

‘Never from you, though,’ she said, in a mock reproachful tone. ‘You never bought me chocolates.’

‘Didn’t I?’

She shook her head.

He took a sip from his beer, then said, with a wink: ‘Well, you know what to expect from me this year, then.’

‘But that’s still months away!’ she exclaimed.

‘Oh, so you want chocolate _now_ do you? Suave, Watson.’

She gave him a playful nudge. ‘Don’t laugh. Anyway, you’d better tell me what _you’d_ like. Your birthday is much closer than mine.’

He pulled a face. ‘Thanks for reminding me. Thirty. Ouch. In less than a month I will be officially an old git.’

She laughed. ‘Thirty isn’t old.’

‘Easy for you to say.’

She made a smug little movement with her shoulders.

‘Rub it in, why don’t you!’ he laughed, and Emma felt herself relax. A deep sort of relaxation that she hadn’t experienced in ages. This was like old times again. Him and her, hanging out together. Just talking about stupid stuff. It felt so good, so familiar, like this was how it was meant to be.

They sat together in a comfortable silence for a while, eating and sipping at their beers, looking out over the river as night slowly fell. Emma could feel a slight, pleasurable buzz in her head. She wasn’t an experienced drinker, and the combination of the champagne and the beer was already getting to her.

‘Do you like living in California?’ she asked.

He didn’t hesitate. ‘I love it.’

She tilted her head. ‘I’ve thought about it too, but I don’t know if I could handle it; leaving England forever, I mean. I’m not entirely sure I would fit in. There’s an awful lot of fakeness over there. Especially in the industry.’

He shrugged. ‘Yeah, but you have to look beyond that. I mean, the industry is the industry. And sure, you’ll always get people who aren’t genuine in real life either, but that’s the same everywhere. The key is just being able to identify those types quickly.’

‘I know,’ she sighed, speaking from experience. ‘After a while, you kinda get a knack for it, don’t you?’

‘Yeah, unfortunately.’ He shrugged. ‘In general, people are pretty cool, though. I’ve made lots of really close friends in California. Some I’d literally trust with my life. And the nature! The nature is just…’ He shook his head, making a sweeping gesture as he tried to find the appropriate word to describe it. ‘… _stunning._ I’m in love with the beaches. I swear, I could be in the water all day.’

‘Sounds wonderful,’ she smiled. ‘You’re really starting to win me over.’

‘Hey, you should come over and visit me some time,’ he proposed. ‘I’d take you around town, show you all my favourite places and stuff.’

‘I’d like that.’

‘Teach you how to surf, maybe?’

‘Oh no, that’s hopeless, I’m afraid,’ she laughed. ‘But I’m down for anything else.’

‘It’s a date, then?’

She nodded. ‘It’s a date.’

They clanked their cans together to make it official.

Emma frowned. ‘Um, by the way, speaking of water…’ 

She pointed at the sky, and just as he looked up, the first fat, hesitant drops started to fall.

A fraction of a second later, it was like someone had opened a faucet. The rain came pouring down.

Emma let out a little scream.

Laughing, they jumped to their feet. Tom pulled his hood over his head and so did she, then he gave her his hand to help her off the bench. Awkwardly, she clambered down. They wrapped the leftover food in the paper bag and stuffed it into the bin, together with the cans. 

‘Let’s try and get a taxi,’ Tom yelled, raising his voice over the sound of the rain.

‘In this weather?’

He gave a shrug. ‘Any other suggestions?’

And then it happened. When she looked back now, Emma thought she must have felt the finality of the words as spoke them, deep down in her subconscious somewhere. That point of no return, being crossed. But at the time itself, on the surface, it had all seemed perfectly harmless. 

‘My hotel is just around the corner. We could have another drink there, if you like.’

He didn’t answer straight away. She could see a tiny raindrop stuck on the upper lashes of his left eye. Then he shrugged and said: ‘Sure. Why not.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I updated! Sorry it took such a long time. Next chapter should follow soon. xx


	9. Chapter 9

It wasn’t far, but by the time they got to the hotel room, they were soaking through and through. 

‘Another reason to move to California,’ Emma laughed, as she threw Tom a towel. ‘The English weather.’

‘You’ve said it.’

‘Hey, if you want that drink: the minibar is just over there.’ 

‘Thanks. You?’

‘No, I’m good.’

Emma disappeared into the bathroom. Quickly, she dried off and changed into some dry clothes. ‘Do you want a robe or anything?’ she yelled.

He didn’t answer. When she came back out of the bathroom, still dabbing at her hair with a towel, Tom was standing by the window, a glass of scotch in his hand, gazing at the rain coming down over the city.

‘You want a robe?’ she repeated, as she sat down on the bed.

‘No thanks,’ he answered absently.

‘Sure?’ 

‘I’m not that wet.’

She laughed. ‘You’re dripping all over the carpet! Let me call reception. They might have some spare clothes that will fit you.’ She turned to get the phone, but then Tom said, out of the blue: ‘I’m selling the house.’ He didn’t look at her; he was still staring out the window. 

Emma blinked. ‘Your— your house in California, you mean?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Oh.’

He shrugged, almost casually. ‘I couldn’t handle it anymore. Too many memories, y’know?’ This time, he did turn to her. There was a slight smile on his lips, but she could see he was really smiling away his insecurity. 

‘I understand,’ she assured him.

He took a sip from his whiskey and nodded at the rain. ‘Wow, it’s really coming down out there, huh?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Hey, you mind if I smoke?’

How could she, when he was giving her that look, part sweet, part sad? It was a non-smoking room, but they’d have to forgive her this once. This was an emergency. 

‘Go ahead,’ she answered.

Relief crossed his face. He reached into his pocket and got the packet out. ‘Should I open a window or something?’ he offered.

‘Nah. It’s fine.’

He lit up, then took the cigarette from his lips and looked at it while he exhaled; at the bluish smoke swirling from the tip. ‘It’s been a while now,’ he continued. ‘But it’s still harsh. I… I _miss_ her.’ He closed his eyes as he admitted this. ‘I miss the way we were, together.’

Emma didn’t know what to say to that. 

‘Anyway, that’s why I left the party,’ he continued. ‘I’m thrilled for Matt and Angela. Truly, I am. But…’ He shook his head. ‘I guess the whole thing reminded me of how things could have been, with Jade and me. I know it’s childish, but that’s just the way it is.’

Emma held her breath. She couldn’t believe he was telling her all this. That he was finally opening up enough to share his grief with her. ‘Tom, you shouldn’t be ashamed about feeling that way…’ she whispered.

‘I do, though,’ he answered. ‘I mean, we’ve been separated for months now. Jade’s already seeing someone else. I…’ His voice trailed off. He took another sip from his whiskey, making the ice cubes clank.

‘What happened between you two, anyway?’ Emma inquired carefully.

He gave a shrug. ‘Who ever really knows what happens between two people? There are so many factors that can make a relationship sink. She’ll tell you one story, I’ll probably tell another. I’ve let go trying to make sense of it. It’s pointless, getting caught up in all that.’

Emma nodded. He couldn’t be more right. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I wished things could’ve worked out for you.’

‘Yeah, well, what can you do?’ He downed the rest of the glass in one, squinting at the sharp taste. Then he said, with a scoff: ‘Jesus. _Love,_ right?’

‘I know,’ she answered. ‘Trust me, I do.’

He cocked an eyebrow at her. ‘Any sob stories of your own you wish to impart? Please don’t hesitate, it’d certainly make me feel less ridiculous right now.’

She huffed out her breath. ‘Too many! I’m afraid I’d bore you.’

‘You could never bore me!’ It sounded so genuine and so much like the Tom she knew, a warm feeling spread through Emma’s stomach.

She sighed and pulled her shoulders up. ‘Well then. Here goes. As you may have heard: I can’t seem to hold on to a man. They all flee eventually. No idea why.’ She had tried to sound comical, but it hadn’t come out that way. Not at all.

Tom frowned, his brow furrowing. ‘See, I don’t understand that. Are they crazy? You’re such a great girl. Any guy would be lucky to have you.’

‘Thanks, that’s sweet.’

‘It’s not sweet, it’s the truth.’

She looked away, unconvinced, and gave an embarrassed shrug.

‘Is there anyone in your life at the moment?’ Tom asked.

Emma swallowed. ‘Not at the moment, no,’ she spoke, through a throat that suddenly felt too narrow.

He took another drag on his cigarette. The tip glowed red in the dimly lit room, as he burned it to the filter.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked, when she noticed him suppress a smile.

He shook his head, the smile widening. He crushed the cigarette in the bottom of his glass and put it down on the window sill. ‘You’ll never guess what Daniel and Rupert told me the other day.’

‘What?’

‘They said you actually had a bit of a thing for _me._ Not before, when we were little, but right now.’

Emma could feel the bottom drop out of her stomach. Immediately, her cheeks flushed crimson. She averted her head, frantically trying to will the colour away, but that only seemed to make it worse. Dan and Rupert. Oh God, she was going to _kill_ them!!!

When he saw her expression, Tom’s smile disappeared. ‘Emma, they’re… they’re not _right_ are they?’ he stammered, stunned.

She could’ve laughed. She could’ve shrugged it off, saying it had just been the boys acting stupid.

Emma sat on the bed, her cheeks burning, and said nothing.

The longer she waited, the more impossible it seemed to deny it. And suddenly, she realised she couldn’t do it anymore. She couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. She didn’t _want_ to. With all the courage she had in her, she raised her eyes to his, and waited for his reaction.

The only light in the room came from the open bathroom door, and Tom’s face was partly hidden in shadows. A series of unreadable emotions passed across it. The silence seemed to last forever. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, quiet. ‘You said once that your twelve-year-old self would’ve loved to kiss me,’ he whispered, ‘but your adult self not so much anymore. Tell me, Emma, do you still feel that way?’

Emma’s heart was hammering in her chest. But she kept looking at him, unflinching, and in her eyes he read her reply. 

He stayed quiet for a moment longer. Then he whispered: ‘Come here.’

The seriousness of his tone made her shiver. They were talking like adults now. Slowly, Emma rose and walked across the room towards him. Tom didn’t move; he seemed frozen to the spot as he stood and watched her approach. They were face to face now, and again she shivered when she saw his pupils dilate with desire for her. ‘I…’ she began, unsure what to do.

‘Shhh,’ he whispered, gently touching her cheek.

Then he leant in and kissed her.

His lips were full and soft, and everything she had expected them to be. Immediately, the light-headedness was back, and this time alcohol had nothing to do with it. She was drunk on love, on the realisation her dream was coming true right here and now. She made a little, longing noise as he deepened the kiss, and with a grunt he pulled her closer into him. She didn’t feel the cold of his wet clothes, only the warmth of his body underneath, of the life of this other person, pulsating so close against hers. And just like that, all her barriers came rushing down and she felt like she was falling, collapsing into his arms. ‘Tom…’ she breathed, with a sob, one little word bundling all the longing and grief and love she’d felt for him over these last long years.

His hands on her waist now, her breasts. At the same time, her hands on his back, his chest, both of them pulling his wet T-shirt off, reluctant to let go of each other for even a second but at the same time eager to get rid of their clothes as fast as possible. He kissed her mouth, her jaw, her neck, like he couldn’t decide which part of her to taste first. Emma heard herself making noises she’d never made before, her sighs brimming with shameless desire. ‘Take me,’ she begged, panting. ‘Take me now.’ The girl who spoke those words seemed like a stranger to her, and at the same time, she had never felt more like her true self. How long she had denied herself the right to be who she truly was, to express what she really wanted…

The bed was soft and it welcomed them like long lost lovers. Lying here, with him, felt so natural. Like things finally made sense in the universe. His weight on top of her. The taste of his mouth, of the rain on his skin. She opened herself up to him, gave him the gift of herself and he took it without hesitation. She gasped when he entered her, like this was her first time all over again, and in a way it was, yes it was. He caressed her face as they became one, his fingers brushing through her hair, passion and love in every careful movement, in every gentle touch.

Emma lost all sense of time. The climax came, and came again. The night became a part of them, as they loved each other on every level, body and soul. 

When it was over—could it ever really be over? Would this feeling ever end?—she snuggled up close to him, breathing in his scent, and he took her in his arms and held her so close, so very very close, like she was a life raft in the middle of an endless ocean and he needed her more than life itself.

She’d had no idea it was even possible to be this happy. That comforting him could leave her feeling so deeply fulfilled. 

Emma fell asleep, for the first time in her life completely at one with another person. With the person she had longed for since forever. She wished the night would never end, and at the same time, she couldn’t wait for morning to come. 

To start their life, together.


	10. Chapter 10

Tom sat on the side of the bed, and watched Emma as she slept. Her face looked soft and sweet in the early morning light, her cheeks rosy with sleep, her brown hair all tangled and wild from where it had dried on the pillow. And he realised he could love her. _Really_ love her, like he had loved Jade. Maybe even more, if such a thing was possible…

The fear struck him like a red hot flash. 

It scorched the other feelings, burned them away. Suddenly, Tom had a hard time breathing. It was like a black hole had opened underneath his feet, and he could feel a bottomless abyss pulling at him.

Emma’s eyelids fluttered. She stretched and sighed, then looked up at him. ‘Good morning,’ she smiled, blinking against the light. A smile like a sunrise.

But when she saw his expression, her smile dissolved.

‘What’s the matter?’

Tom’s throat was tight. His voice stuck, thick and low.

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered. ‘I’m so sorry. But I can’t do this.’

 

*

 

Hours later, Emma was still lying in bed, curled into a ball. She had pulled the covers far over her head, trying to shut out the light, to shut out the day, to shut out _everything._

But she couldn’t hide from her thoughts. They tumbled through her mind, tormenting her, refusing to leave her in peace.

_I should never have slept with him like this._

She repeated it in her head, over and over. How could she have been so stupid? Last night had been the best night of her life, but it had come too soon. Tom was still in pain from his break-up with Jade —he wasn’t over her yet; everything he had said last night by the river, and even here, in this very room, had been a clear warning sign of that. Red flags going up, waving in front of her face. And yet she had willfully chosen to close her eyes to them, in order to let herself be swept away in her own fantasy. 

Emma cringed when she thought about how she had behaved.

She never slept with a man on the first date. Never. That wasn’t her style. But one kiss with Tom, and she had been lost. It was like something else inside of her had taken over. 

And last night hadn’t even _been_ a date. Not officially, anyway.

 _It’s because it was Tom,_ she realized. _We’ve known each other for so long, I’ve been in love with him for so long, that the last ten years felt like one big date._ One long, excruciating period of foreplay, until finally, last night, the culmination.

He had been feeling vulnerable. He had been slightly drunk. And he had been in desperate need of comfort. 

She had given it to him, all too gladly.

And now she had ruined her chances of ever having a future with him. The one man she was truly interested in. The only one she had ever really wanted, lost for good.

_I reduced myself to the rebound-girl._

Pain throbbed through her stomach, angry and dull. She felt like she was going to throw up.

Somewhere in the room, a phone started ringing. Not her cell; she’d switched that off hours ago. It was the hotel’s landline. 

Emma let it ring.

Moments passed.

It rang again. 

And a third time.

Finally, someone knocked at her door.

‘Emma?’

The voice of her assistant sounded nervous, worried.

‘Emma, are you in there? We’re waiting for you. The stylist has arrived, and the people for your hair and make-up. We have to start preparing for tonight.’

Emma frowned. 

Tonight?

_The premiere of Beauty and the Beast._

For a moment she lay there, frozen. Could she really face the crowds, the press, her colleagues and friends, after everything that had just happened? Put on a smile and a beautiful dress and be the successful actress again? The woman who had it all, who had everything together? For a fraction of a second, the idea overwhelmed her and she felt utterly powerless.

But then Emma slowly pushed the covers off her, and sat up. 

‘Just a minute,’ she called.

She was a professional, first and foremost. People were counting on her. She had loved making that movie, and she would hold up her end of the bargain by at least showing up for its premiere. She owed it to everyone who had worked on the project with her, to her fans, to _herself._

 _I can cry about Tom later,_ she decided.

And she would.

Oh, she would.

But first, she had a performance to do.

 

*

 

Tom had walked the whole way back to his hotel, smoking one cigarette after the other. The sky was clear and the air fresh, cleansed by last night’s rain. But his mind was as foggy and clouded as ever. He unlocked the door to his room and stumbled in, then collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to take off his shoes.

He stared at the ceiling, shame burning in his chest.

How could he have done that?

To her of all people?

He thought back to how he had called her over, last night, after she had confessed her feelings to him. ‘Come here.’ He cringed at the thought. She had obeyed, without a word. Then, the kiss, and then… everything else.

How could he have taken advantage of her like that? He didn’t know what had come over him. He had just been feeling so alone, so _confused,_ and it had been so great to talk to her, so comforting and easy, and so much fun, just sitting on that bench eating chips and having a beer, chatting to someone who understood him, a true friend, someone who he’d known for ages. Who he’d… _liked_ for ages. And then when he had found out she was in love with him… God, she was just so beautiful, and so sweet and warm, and _sexy,_ and all he had wanted was to feel her arms around him, to lose himself in her embrace and forget everything…

He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. Last night had been… there were no words to describe it. He had felt things he had never expected to ever feel for a woman again, emotions that he thought were lost forever. It had been perfect. _Too_ perfect.

Immediately, the fear came rushing back. Hollow and black and terrifying.

_I can’t go down that road. Not again._

He turned his head. His tux was hanging from the closet door. Jesus. The premiere. Her big premiere was tonight.

_How can I possibly show my face there? How can I ever show my face to her again?_

He hated himself. For last night. And for this morning. Yes, especially for this morning. That hurt look in her eyes when he had told her that he couldn’t; when he had left her there, like some dead-beat lover would do, like it had all meant nothing, just been some callous one-night-stand… That look had cut right through him, and he knew it would haunt him for the rest of his days.

Tom kept lying there, motionless, trapped by his guilt and his shame, while the sunlight steadily crept over the floor, then slowly started fading again. He wasn’t hungry and he ignored the thirst, subjecting himself to it freely, as if it were some sort of penance. The hours on his alarm clock passed by, one blinking minute after another. It was eight. The red carpet should be over by now; the movie was starting. And he wasn’t there.

_She’ll think I don’t want to see her. That I don’t support her. That I don’t care about her._

The idea was unbearable. 

_I could still go,_ he considered. _Just for the after-party._

But what if she didn’t want to see him at all? He refused to put her in an awkward situation. She shouldn’t need to be worrying about how to act around him on her big night. Although he’d probably ruined that for her already...

A new pang of guilt shot through him. How could he ever even begin to make this up to her?

His cell phone jabbed him out of his thoughts.

He sat up and grabbed it, irrationally expecting it to be her. Though he had absolutely no idea what he would tell her if it was.

But when he saw the name on the screen, he frowned.

“Jade”

He sat there, letting it ring for a moment longer, dazed. Then, in an impulse, he swiped and accepted the call.

‘Hey.’

Her voice, still so familiar, but so far removed at the same time. One small word, enough to awaken a whirlwind of emotions inside of him.

‘Hey,’ he answered, hoarse.

‘Happy would-be-anniversary.’

He smiled grimly. ‘Yeah, you too.’

There was a pause.

‘I just thought I’d call; see how you were doing.’

‘I’m fine,’ he lied. ‘Thanks.’

She cleared her throat. ‘I heard you were shooting. Cursed Child, right?’

‘Yup. That’s the one.’

‘Going well?’

‘Yeah. It’s been… fun to see the old gang again.’

‘Tell them hi from me, will you?’

‘I will.’

The conversation halted again. It was so weird, talking to her after all this time. For seven years, he had shared his life with this woman, but now their shared history lay between them, heavy and deep like the ocean.

‘So,’ Jade suddenly said, in a matter-of-fact tone. ‘Are you dating Emma yet?’

 

*

 

Tom was speechless.

‘Hello?’ Jade called.

‘W-what?’ he stammered.

‘Are you dating her yet?’ she repeated, like it was just a normal question.

‘No. No, of course not.’

Jade laughed. ‘Give it up, Tom. You never could lie. Not to me.’

‘…’

‘You’ve always had a thing for her,’ she continued. ‘Even way back. It was quite obvious, you know.’

‘That’s… that’s not true.’

‘Come on! If it wasn’t for that strange big brother complex you’ve always had towards her and the fact I came along when I did, you would’ve been dating her years ago!’

‘Jade, I…’

‘Don’t be afraid, I won’t judge you. I know I used to give you a hard time about her. But we’re not together anymore; you’re perfectly allowed to see her now.’

‘Jee, thanks,’ he scoffed, cynical. ‘So I’ve got your permission, now? Is that it?’

His stone startled her. ‘You don’t need my permission to do anything,’ she answered, in a whisper.

‘No, I don’t.’

There was an uncomfortable pause.

Tom closed his eyes. ‘I’m not seeing her. I swear.’

‘Well, why not?’

He shook his head, baffled by the absurdity of this conversation. ‘Because!’

He heard her shrink back again at his harsh tone. He felt a pang of regret. He never could stand it when she was upset. ‘Look,’ he said, his voice softer now. ‘I just don’t understand where this is coming from, Jade. I haven’t heard from you in months, and all of a sudden you call me asking if I’m dating my childhood friend…’

She sighed. ‘I know it seems weird. But people tell me things, Tom. Things that make me worry, about you.’ She paused, then whispered: ‘You have to move on, baby. I did.’

He uttered a bitter snort. ‘Yes, I’m well aware of _that_ fact.’

‘Come on, now. Don’t be that way.’

He shook his head, his jaw clenching. ‘Sorry…’ He hadn’t meant to sound resentful. Why was this so damn hard?

Jade waited for him to speak again. Gave him all the time he needed.

‘I can’t,’ he finally confessed, in a whisper. ‘I can’t do it. Not a second time. What you and I went through… After we split up... I don’t want to feel that way ever again.’

There. That was it. The reason he’d left Emma this morning. When he’d seen her lying there, all beautiful and innocent in the early light, he’d felt a love for her so deep it scared it him to bits. He’d known that type of love before, and he knew he couldn’t survive losing it a second time.

‘Oh, Tom…’ Jade sighed, and the compassion in her voice struck him like a blade. 

They stayed like that for a while, just on the phone with each other, saying nothing. 

Then Jade said: ‘I know you are hurting. And I’m sorry about that. Though I still feel it couldn’t have gone any other way. We were never right for each other. Not really. You must have felt that too. Don’t tell me you haven’t.’

Tom closed his eyes. He felt the hand holding the phone getting wet. With a quick gesture, he pressed the heel of his free hand against his eye, brushing the tears away. ‘Maybe…’ he croaked.

‘Go to her. She’s waiting on it, I promise you. Don’t be afraid. You two are a much better match than we ever were.’

He shook his head. ‘How can you tell me this? How can you be so cool about sending me into the arms of another woman?’

She let out a short, sad laugh. ‘Don’t think for one minute this isn’t hard for me too. I loved you, and a part of me always will. But our break-up has taught me a lot. I’ve grown up so much this past year. I found someone new, and I’m happy again, Tom. I would wish that for you too.’

Tom stayed silent for a very long time as he let Jade’s words sink in.

‘It’s impossible,’ he finally breathed. ‘Me and Emma… The paparazzi would be all over us, the fans would go nuts, we’re both in the industry…’ He shook his head. ‘The pressure to make it work would be enormous. The whole world would be following our relationship through a magnifying glass. We’d be doomed from the get go. It’d never work out.’

‘And what if it doesn’t? Is that such a disaster?’

‘I told you: I can’t feel that way again!’

Jade let out a sigh. Then she said: ‘Tell me, Tom, knowing everything you know now, that we would end the way we did, would you rather never have met me at all?’

Tom fell silent. Images of the things he had lived through with Jade flashed before his eyes. Bad memories, but good ones too. So many good ones…

He frowned.

‘No,’ he whispered. ‘I wouldn’t have wanted to miss that for the world.’

He heard her smile. ‘Well, then you know what you have to do, don’t you?’


	11. Chapter 11

After he and Jade had said their goodbyes, Tom kept sitting on the bed for a long time, lost in thought. It had been such a strange conversation. He didn’t really know what to make of it. But he was glad it had happened all the same. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. It felt like _closure._ And he realised only now how desperately he had been needing that.

He wasn’t so sure about Jade’s advice, though. He was still convinced things with Emma could never work out. They were in the public eye too much. People had been rooting for them to get together for such a long time, it had become impossible to actually do so. The pressure would be stifling. They would be forced to put things into words neither of them were ready for yet. Their relationship would crash and burn before it ever took flight. No, he refused to set himself up to fail.

Besides, after what had happened, he doubted if Emma would ever even want to talk to him again.

Still, Tom’s gaze was inadvertently pulled towards his tux again. It hung there from his closet door as if it was mocking him. Daring him, to take action. And suddenly, he decided he had to go to the premiere. If only to prove to Emma that he still —and would always— care about her. That he wished her the best and hoped they could stay friends. 

It just felt wrong not to be there.

 

*

 

But as the taxi approached the theatre, Tom started to regret his decision. His uneasiness had grown steadily during the drive over here, and now he was close enough to discern the broad bundles of light shining up into the air, the flashes of the camera’s, the crowds of fans waiting behind the fence, his confidence took a plunge. Nightmarish scenarios of Emma giving him an angry —a _hurt_ — look flashed before his mind’s eye. He couldn’t support the thought of seeing her in pain, especially not since he was the cause for that pain. 

_It’s too late to back down now,_ he hardened himself. _You’ll just have to bear it._

After all, he deserved anything she threw at him. 

The car pulled up to the curb. Apparently, the movie had just ended, because many of the famous guests were already walking down the red carpet again, some of them sharing their thoughts about the movie to the reporters, others signing autographs and taking selfies with fans before getting back in their cabs or limo’s to go to the afterparty. No sign of the cast yet, though. As tradition would have it, they would be the last ones to come out.

Tom could feel his heart pound in his chest. He was so nervous he felt like he was going to be sick. But he closed the button on his dinner jacket, stepped out of the car, and greeted the crowd who broke into a cheer upon sight of him. He quickly signed a few autographs, then headed for Dan and Rupert, who were leaning over the fence to take selfies with a group of Potterheads.

‘Oh hey, where were you, man?’ Rupert asked, when he spotted Tom. ‘You missed the movie!’ He gave Tom a friendly slap on the shoulders. 

‘Yeah, sorry. I had some personal stuff to take care of,’ Tom mumbled. He saw Dan give him a strange look. Quickly, he cleared his throat and asked: ‘So, how was it?’

‘Great!’ Rupert beamed. ‘You should’ve seen our girl. She really stole the show.’

‘Yeah,’ Tom said, with a faint smile. ‘I can believe that.’

‘She should be out in a minute or so,’ Rupert continued. ‘She’ll be so chuffed to see you!’

‘I bet.’ Embarrassed, Tom turned to the fans and started signing their HP-stuff for them, all the while trying to ignore Dan’s look. 

But his friend wasn’t dissuaded. He came and stood beside him, and deliberately caught his gaze. ‘Are you all right, Tom?’ he asked softly.

‘Sure,’ Tom scoffed, averting his eyes. ‘Of course. Yes.’

But the tension in his chest had built to a point where he felt like he was going to explode. What was he doing here? The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced this had been an awful idea. Emma wouldn’t be chuffed to see him. She’d be confused and hurt and offended that he had the audacity to show up after all that had happened. Emma. Oh God, Emma. Images of their night together flashed through his mind. That feeling, when he had held her in his arms… Her warmth, when she had opened up to him, so completely and without refrain…

Suddenly, a big cheer rose up from the crowd, and all eyes turned to a point behind him. Tom turned around. The doors of the theatre had opened; the cast were coming out. 

And there she was, like a shining star amidst the others. She was wearing red, and it suited her beautifully. She waved at the crowd before being ushered to the awaiting camera’s, for a series of quick interviews with the different networks, magazines and sites. 

Tom stood there and watched as she spoke to the press. She looked stunning. Perfectly poised, graceful and charming. Nothing on her face betrayed the sadness he knew she felt inside. She was, as always, the perfect professional. 

_She doesn’t need me._

The realisation came like a bolt of lightning. It shook him. Took his breath away. No, she _didn’t_ need him. Not in the way he’d always been there for her, anyway. Emma could handle herself just fine. She wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was a woman now. No big brother necessary to protect her… 

And suddenly, Tom understood he had been all wrong about what had happened between them last night. The decision had been taken by the both of them. Her, as well as him. She had wanted to be with him. She had _chosen_ him.

A feeling, warm and full and larger than life, washed over Tom, filling his chest to the brim. And this time, it wasn’t accompanied by fear.

He knew now.

Finally, he knew. 

Jade had been right all along. But then she had always known him better than he knew himself… 

Loving Emma wasn’t a possibility. It was a fact. He _already_ loved her. He had always loved her, even when they were children. But propriety and his duty towards his girlfriend had kept him from admitting that to himself. 

Emma was beautiful, smart and funny. She had the biggest heart of anyone he knew. She was gorgeous and talented. There was no one like her. And she wanted _him._

He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. 

_What a fool I have been…_

He had to make it up to her. To make her see that the coin had dropped and he finally understood. It would take a grand gesture, though. He knew that. But he was more than willing to make it. Now the fear was gone, he felt like a million dollars. He felt strong, like nothing could touch him anymore. Nothing could touch him, if he just had her by his side…

Tom looked at the camera’s and the press and all the fans and his friends, and he realised he didn’t actually care what anyone thought anymore. He had been fearful of the pressure, but he understood now that kind of pressure came from the outside, and he had the power to choose not to let it in. Not to let it affect him. After all, he too, was no longer a little boy. This was _his_ life. He only had the one. It was his and his alone, to do with as he pleased. _He_ was the one who decided what he did or didn’t want to do. And he knew perfectly well what he wanted to do now, more than anything in the world…

‘She looks amazing, doesn’t she?’ Dan smiled.

‘Yeah,’ Tom whispered. ‘She does.’

It was risky, but then again, it was what he felt in his heart. If Emma was willing, the whole world could be witness to the commitment he wanted to make.

Without another word, Tom left his friends and walked farther up the red carpet.

‘Hey, where are you going?’ Rupert yelled.

He didn’t reply. His entire being was only focused on one person now.

‘Tom, over here!!!’ From the corner of his eyes, he saw one of the fans waving a rose at him. 

With a smile, he accepted it. ‘Thanks,’ he said, with a wink. ‘Just what I need right now.’

 

*

 

Emma was in the middle of explaining a reporter what Beauty and the Beast meant to her, when she spotted him. He was cutting through the crowd, his eyes fixed upon her. She flinched, and lost her train of thought. Her voice trailed off. The reporter was forgotten. The interview was forgotten. Emma had kept it together for the entire premiere. She had even managed to pretend to enjoy herself a little. But in the blink of an eye, all of that fell away. One look at the man she loved, and the part, the movie, the _actress_ was gone. She was just Emma, now. 

He came up to her and took her by the hand. He looked breathtaking in his tux. He moved her a little away from the camera’s, and she followed him without questioning. The camera’s followed too, of course. Emma felt like every camera and cell phone in a mile radius was zoomed in on them now. 

She looked down and saw he was holding a rose. Dark red, long-stemmed, perfect. Her heart felt like it wanted to jump out of her throat. He gave her a hug, and whispered, so quiet only she could hear: ‘I’m sorry. I panicked. You just mean so much to me. I was afraid to mess that all up. Can you ever forgive me?’ She could feel his breath, soft and warm, against her hair.

He broke the embrace and stood before her, his hand on her arm, his gaze locked with hers, and awaited her reply. She could see his chest rise and fall. He was nervous...

Emma swallowed. ‘That depends,’ she managed to whisper.

He raised an eyebrow.

She shrugged and said: ‘On what you’re planning to do next.’

A careful, amused smile touched his lips. She felt the corners of her own mouth curling upwards too. They kept looking at each other. The whole world seemed to have fallen away. It was just him and her. They were all that mattered.

Tom offered her the rose.

Emma waited a beat, then took it.

All around, people were shouting now. Press and fans alike. Asking them what was going on. What they were talking about. Their names were coming at them from every direction. Emma! Tom! Over here! What’s happening? 

Tom’s smile got a mischievous quality. He tipped his head in the general direction of everyone that wasn’t them, and said: ‘What do you say? Wanna give them something to talk about?’ 

Emma couldn’t hold back a grin. She bit her lip, a little embarrassed. She was usually very careful when it came to her private life. She never gave anything away about her relationships if she could help it. But all she could feel now were his hands on her arms. His body against hers. His eyes, so grey and soft, locked with hers. And all she wanted to do, was to share this feeling with the world. She gave him a small, barely noticeable nod.

 

*

 

Tom took Emma in his arms. She put hers around his neck. They looked at each other for a moment. 

And then he dipped her back and kissed her, Hollywood-style.

Through her closed eyelids Emma could see a million camera’s flash. She could hear the crowd roar as one. But she wasn’t nervous. She felt Tom’s lips on hers, and in her heart, she had never been more calm. More at peace. More _sure._ She was right where she needed to be. 

Finally, in his arms.

Finally, together.

 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for all the kind comments and especially for being patient with me while I finished this story. It took a while, but I finally got there!  
> I hope you enjoyed it!  
> xxx


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